


guidelines

by HeavenlyDusk



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: 8059 is like one throw away scene i couldn't resist adding, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chatting & Messaging, Gen, General Namimori Weirdness, Reborn POV, also lambo isn't tsuna's lightning guardian, in that reborn doesn't know that namimori isn't normal, kind of a pov outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 08:28:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17321498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenlyDusk/pseuds/HeavenlyDusk
Summary: Namimori is not just any town, and they refuse to let Tsuna become a criminal.





	guidelines

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to write this fic as a "Namimori is weird" fic because I always make little references to Namimori being Not Quite Normal but I've never written an entire thing just about it.  
> I don't know what happened, but I'm pretty sure I failed on that end.
> 
> Well, in any case, I hope you enjoy!

Namimori is a small town.

As with every small town, there are little, unspoken rules that every resident knows of and abides by. For Namimori, it’s custom for them to turn their heads slightly to the side as though anything weird going on isn’t actually happening. They all look to the Hibari Clan if there’s a major crime problem. The police look the other way at certain issues. Little things like that. No one questions their rules; if anything, they prefer them. Being of Namimori is better, for those who are accepted into the town’s grace.

All of these rules, all of these tiny intricacies, lead to one thing and one thing only:

Maintain the peace of Namimori.

* * *

Sawada Iemitsu was not raised in Namimori. He moves there for a job and meets Himura Nanako and he falls for her gentle smile and twinkling laughter. So he asks her on a date and buys a house and he _stays_.

This, naturally, cannot do. It might have been possible for him to stay, but everyone knows he won’t. He can’t. His calling is away, out of Namimori and possibly out of Japan, where the blood sticking to his skin isn’t an issue to his colleagues.

Nanako, though, is of _Namimori_. She is theirs and they are hers. She grew up knowing the people, the streets, the rules. Namimori is her home.

When Iemitsu leaves and doesn’t come back for months on end after their child is born, that’s how she knows that she’ll raise Tsunayoshi to be of Namimori too.

* * *

 _Peaceful Namimori_.

That’s all Reborn can manage to glean about the town his new charge lives in. _Peaceful, clean, quiet Namimori_. Iemitsu had nothing but praise for the place, gushing about the lack of crime and _oh_ , wasn’t it so nice that there was a group dedicated to keeping the streets clean?

It’s suspicious.

When he lands in town, the first thing he takes note of is the number of pompadour-headed teenagers wandering around. Closer inspection shows that they all have some sort of communication on them and their armbands label them as a part of some sort of Disciplinary Committee. It’s odd, but not _too_ odd, he supposes. Still, it’s something to look in to later.

The receptionist at the inn he’s staying in looks at him with eyes a bit too prying, nails a bit too loud as she taps on her desk. She doesn’t comment on his appearance or say anything suspicious, but something uneasy settles in his stomach. As he exits his room ten minutes later, he sees her speaking closely to another one of those Committee teenagers.

He disregards it.

He goes to Takesushi first. Yamamoto Tsuyoshi was a skilled assassin once upon a time, and it was pure luck that he managed to get out of the mafia life with little trouble. But even so, Reborn trusts him enough that he’s willing to obtain any information he may be able to get. Once upon a time, Tsuyoshi and Iemitsu were friends—he would keep an eye on Iemitsu’s son.

The restaurant isn’t what Reborn would call bustling, but it’s clearly a popular spot for people to stop by. It’s far from empty: a few older customers sit at the counter nearest to the food, two different groups of teenagers sit in booths, and a few families sit at the tables too. Some look towards the door as it opens and they seem curious when they see him, but they all quickly return to their conversations. It’s only Tsuyoshi who watches him with hard eyes as he approaches.

“Yamamoto Tsuyoshi-san,” Reborn says as he hops onto the chair furthest from the adults sitting at the counter.

“Hitman Reborn-san,” Tsuyoshi says lowly, making sure not to be heard. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’d like to ask for some information.”

“As you can see—“ he sweeps his arm to indicate the entire restaurant, “I’m a bit busy at the moment. But you can wait until closing time and we’ll talk.” His tone leaves no room for argument. Reborn is somewhat impressed by his audacity, so he nods and waits.

Customers come and go, regulars bid goodbye after long conversations with Tsuyoshi, and the sun begins to set while Reborn sips his unfortunately caffeine-less drink at the counter. Then, at last, the restaurant is empty and the sign is flipped to CLOSED.

“You’re lucky my son is staying at a friend’s house tonight,” Tsuyoshi says coolly as he returns behind the counter. “So, what is it that you wanted to know, Reborn-san?”

“Sawada Tsunayoshi,” Reborn begins. “What can you tell me about him?”

Tsuyoshi’s lips quirk upwards. “Ah, Tsunayoshi-kun. He’s a good kid. Timid sometimes and not great in school, but he has a lot of… _will_. He takes after his mother in a lot of ways. Oh, I wouldn’t recommend crossing Nana by the way. She’s usually very sweet, but housewives, you know? Hurt their children, and, well.” He shrugs and chuckles. “Housewives are vicious.”

Reborn raises an eyebrow. “Noted. Anything about Tsunayoshi that I should know in particular?”

Tsuyoshi hums and taps a finger against the counter. “No, nothing that’s immediately pressing. You’ll learn. Maybe.”

“Learn what?”

“You’ll see.” A mischievous gleam makes its way into Tsuyoshi’s eyes. “I’m afraid there’s not much else I can tell you that you’ll need to know going in. Let’s see… Nana can never stop talking about how happy she is that Tsunayoshi-kun has a plan for his life. You’ll have to deal with that.”

“Do you know what this plan is?”

“I have a bit of an idea, but no specifics. I believe it has something to do with staying in Namimori.” The last sentence is so casual, so throwaway, that Reborn is instantly suspicious. Tsuyoshi wipes at the counter as Reborn watches him. There’s nothing to truly be concerned by with that sentence. It’s natural for children to want to stay where they’re comfortable. Yet the look in Tsuyoshi’s eyes, as though there’s an inside joke that Reborn is not privy to, makes him wary.

“What are you hiding?” he asks, nearly demanding.

Tsuyoshi barks a laugh and looks at him. “Ah, nothing gets by the World’s Greatest Hitman. Don’t worry, don’t worry—it’s nothing bad. I’m sure Nana will explain it to you.”

Reborn doesn’t move, but his hands itch to reach for his guns and demand to know _what is so funny_. He’s used to getting what he wants, which is a problem all on its own. He shouldn’t get used to anything. He needs to remember that there’s always capacity for improvement. But Yamamoto Tsuyoshi isn’t even _mafia_ anymore and yet he thinks he can mock _him_?

“You can’t shoot me,” Tsuyoshi says confidently, apparently noticing Reborn’s irritation. “It’ll attract attention that you don’t need, and you have no just cause. Well, ‘just’ by mafia standards, at any rate. Namimori is a crime-free zone, Reborn-san.”

“No town is ‘crime-free’,” Reborn says.

Tsuyoshi hums again. “Maybe.”

* * *

Iemitsu’s wife is exactly the kind of woman who Reborn expected her to be. Her eyes are a bit clouded, suggesting she’s not quite all there. She only makes a passing comment on his apparent age, but otherwise doesn’t find anything wrong with it. She cheerfully calls her son down to see him and doesn’t so much as blink when he takes him down with a simple kick. Of course Iemitsu would marry a woman with selective blindness.

Tsuna, by contrast, is much more aware. He asks a lot of _why_ questions when Reborn gets him alone upstairs and explains why he’s there. A strange look passes over his face as Reborn begins explaining, but it’s gone quickly, and Reborn convinces himself that any teenager would have that look on their face if they were just told that they were to be the heir of the largest mafia family in the world.

“I won’t be Vongola’s boss,” Tsuna says immediately. “That’s not in my plans.”

“Yes, I heard you have so-called ‘plans’ for your life,” Reborn says and rolls his eyes. “Those will be discarded, of course. You’re the only viable heir.”

“No, I already know what I’m doing with my life and that’s not going to change,” Tsuna insists.

“You have no choice,” Reborn says and immediately dives into what he’ll be doing to tutor him, not allowing him to get another word in edgewise. It doesn’t matter what Tsuna wants—the mafia does nothing but take and it rarely lets people leave. A thirteen year old civilian doesn’t have a chance; it would be easier if he accepted that.

* * *

 **_Porcupine_ ** _has logged into chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **Porcupine:** who changed my name

 **Porcupine:** nvm unimportant

 **Buffy:** It was Hibari-san!

 **Porcupine:** of course it was smh

 **Carnivore:** Shut it

 **Porcupine:** anyway kyoya did your mom talk to you yet

 **Carnivore:** No

 **Porcupine:** ok well (and this is for everyone else here too) dad made my mom hire a tutor for me

 **Porcupine:** it’s the arcobaleno reborn

 **Porcupine:** _apparently_ i’m the only heir to vongola now so he’s here to train me

 **Porcupine:** things are going to be pretty messy from here on out

 **Buffy:** Oh no :(

 **Buffy:** We’ll spread the word!

 **Carnivore:** Criminals are not allowed in Namimori

 **Carnivore:** And go to _bed_ , Porcupine

 **Porcupine:** ummm excuse me i’m not the only one awake at 1 in the morning

* * *

When Reborn shoots Tsuna with the Dying Will Bullet, he expects him to get up and confess to the girl who approached just minutes before.

He doesn’t expect Tsuna to completely bypass her at the school gate and instead confront an older boy, spending the whole five minutes ranting about paperwork. Even when the bullet wears off, Tsuna is still at it, appearing unaware of his lack of clothes. The other boy, wearing a prefect armband, stares at him with nothing but a slightly raised eyebrow, and then, abruptly, Reborn’s student begins running faster than his PE records said he could and the boy chases after him with tonfas sliding into his hands.

When later asked, Tsuna groans, “Kyoya is the _worst_ with paperwork. He always leaves _me_ to deal with it! Me! I already have my own paperwork to do!”

“Paperwork?” Reborn asks dangerously. He doesn’t know anything about any jobs Tsuna may have that involve _paperwork_.

“I’m in Student Council, you know,” Tsuna says, which, _what_. “I have to deal with all of the things Kyoya’s too lazy to deal with himself.”

“How long have you been in Student Council?”

“The position was forced on me last year.”

That would have been his first year of middle school. According to his overall grades, he shouldn’t have been able to get into Student Council in the first place.

_Iemitsu you **incompetent bastard**._

* * *

Reborn finds himself seated at Tsuyoshi’s sushi restaurant after hours again. “You didn’t tell me Tsuna was a member of the Student Council,” he says.

“I told you that you would learn,” Tsuyoshi responds, shrugging nonchalantly. “He’s President, actually, but I don’t know much else besides that. My son doesn’t tell me what goes on at school unless it’s important.”

Reborn hasn’t had a chance to see Yamamoto Takeshi yet. He sees him around the school, but always with a fake smile and surrounded by other people. Reborn can see the potential hitman in him, where Tsuyoshi’s past has obviously been inherited, but instead the boy uses his skills for baseball. His Flames could make him a viable Guardian for Tsuna, but otherwise, he hasn’t been tagged as very important.

“I was unaware your son was in Student Council,” he says. His file made no mention of any extracurriculars other than baseball.

“Oh, he only does a little bit of work with them. Most of his time is taken with baseball, so I don’t think even he knows that much about what the Council does.” Tsuyoshi laughs.

Reborn is starting to get the feeling that Namimori is a bit of a _strange_ place, and whoever is writing these files on the residents needs to be fired.

“I have another question,” he says. “Who are all these teenagers I keep seeing? The ones with the pompadours.”

Tsuyoshi barks out anothrr laugh. “Oh, those kids? Consider them… police in training. They patrol the town outside of school hours and try to find crime to stop. Don’t worry too much about them.”

Reborn nods and takes a sip of his espresso.

Sounded like nothing more than some teenagers playing pretend, then.

* * *

They are not just teenagers playing pretend.

After Gokudera Hayato destroys part of the school in pursuit of killing Tsuna—and subsequently ends up pledging his allegiance to him—a small group of the teenagers immediately appear in the vicinity.

“You,” one of the boys says, stepping menacingly towards Gokudera. “For destroying the walls of Namimori and therefore disrupting the peace, we are going to have to—“

“Ah, Kuroda-san,” Tsuna interrupts and steps in between the two. “Actually, Hayato-kun is my friend. Would it be alright if you let him off? I think fixing the school is more pressing actually.”

“Sawada-kun.” The boy blinks at him, stunned. “He’s your friend? Well, alright then, but you’ll be the one to explain this to Boss.”

Tsuna droops. “Yeah, I… know…”

Kuroda turns to the other members of his group and begins ordering them to fix the walls. In no time at all, Reborn can see the middle schoolers already working on fixing what’s been destroyed. The other students don’t give the work so much as a backward glance.

“Come on, Hayato-kun,” Tsuna says, also apparently ignoring the work being done. “Let’s go see Kyoya. And please call me Tsuna.”

“Absolutely not!” Gokudera declares.

* * *

 **_Porcupine_ ** _has logged into chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **_Porcupine_ ** _has added **Gokudera Hayato** to chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **_Porcupine_ ** _has changed **Gokudera Hayato** ’s name to **Combustion Man**_

 **Buffy:** Um…

 **Oh No!:** Sawada, isn’t that the kid who kicked you over in class?

 **Combustion Man:** I HUMBLY APOLOGIZE TSUNA-SAMA

 **Porcupine:** yeahhh but it’s all good now!

 **Porcupine:** please stop calling me –sama….

 **Combustion Man:** As your right hand man, I cannot do that!

 **Oh No!:** What have you done Sawada

 **Porcupine:** eheh…

 **Porcupine:** it’s hard to get hayato-kun alone with reborn watching my every move so i decided to just add him here and have you guys explain

 **Buffy:** Why can’t you just bring him to Asuka-sama anyway?

 **Porcupine:** mom wants to play a joke on reborn by not letting him know our rules and asuka thought it was funny and agreed >.<

 **Oh No!:** Can we even trust this monkey?

 **Combustion Man:** I would never betray Tsuna-sama’s trust! Not even for Reborn-san!

 **Porcupine:** and i like him so i’m keeping him

 **Buffy:** Why didn’t you text Hibari to bring him to the estate tonight? Reborn wouldn’t be watching his apartment right?

 **Porcupine:** ...oh

 **Porcupine:** i’ll do that now

 **_Lancelot_ ** _has logged into chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **Lancelot:** THAT NEW GUY

 **Lancelot:** LOOK I WAS MAD ABOUT HIM KICKING OVER TSUNA BUT LIKE

 **Lancelot:** HE’S REALLY CUTE GUYS I CAN’T HELP IT

 **Porcupine:** …

 **Buffy:** …

 **Oh No!:** …

 **Combustion Man:** …

 **Lancelot:** …ah

 **_Lancelot_ ** _has logged out of chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **Combustion Man:** What the fuck?

* * *

As it turns out, Yamamoto Takeshi is friends with Tsuna. He and Gokudera are both waiting outside when Tsuna leaves the house—an hour earlier than expected, much to Reborn’s pleasant surprise until he realizes Tsuna will be a whole five minutes late to his Student Council meeting—and it quickly becomes apparent that Yamamoto is much closer to his charge than he originally anticipated. It’s useful for Guardianship, but suspect considering he hasn’t approached Tsuna until today.

The conversation as they walk to school is casual, born of ease and familiarity between Yamamoto and Tsuna. Gokudera doesn’t like the supposed "interloper" in the slightest, but he settles for making his complaints rather than outright attacking.

Reborn expects to be able to follow them into the school as he has for the past week, only for a tonfa to stop him in his tracks.

Hibari Kyoya looks at him, not at all put off by his infant body. “Unauthorized personnel are not allowed on school grounds,” he says firmly. “I have allowed you to do your reconnaissance for the week, but no longer. If I catch you within Namimori Middle territory again, you will be bitten to death.”

Reborn doubts a middle schooler would be able to even touch him, but he’s reluctantly impressed by the fact that Hibari noticed him hanging around school every day. There’s no reason for him to argue, so he nods and steps away. He’ll just have to hide himself better from now on—though he’ll hardly spend all of his time following Tsuna now that he’s gotten a feel for his routine.

Satisfied, Hibari looks to Tsuna. “You’re late,” he growls.

“If you bite me to death, I’ll be even later!” Tsuna says quickly, the words almost intermingling with each other in his haste. Hibari smacks him with his tonfa and starts bodily dragging him into the school. Gokudera shouts something about being nicer to ‘Tsuna-sama’ while Yamamoto laughs, and they both follow after them.

Reborn narrows his eyes. Gokudera is a new student, not part of the Student Council. He isn’t supposed to be on the school grounds, and yet Hibari didn’t bite him to death.

That is something to think about.

* * *

(“Please welcome Gokudera Hayato to the Student Council,” Tsuna says, smiling kindly at Hayato, whose face turns red at his attention. Seated at the table are Kyoko, Hana, Takeshi, Ryohei, Chrome, and a few others. Kyoya stands by the door with his arms crossed like some sort of bodyguard. Kusakabe stands beside him. “Asuka-sama approved of him last night, and I believe he’ll be a wonderful addition to our work.”

“Please take care of me!” Hayato bows low, back stiff.

The table is quiet, and then Kyoko laughs. “Welcome to the Student Council, Hayato-kun!” she says and grins. “Or, as we like to call it, the Namichuu Peacekeeping Committee. We’re happy to have you on board!”)

* * *

(“So,” Tsuna says to Takeshi as the Council begins filing out of the room, “Hayato, huh?”

“Don’t tell him that was me in the chatroom,” Takeshi pleads.

“He’s going to find out eventually.”

“I’ll keep that from happening for as long as I possibly can.”)

* * *

Reborn has been assuming that the girl who’s been following them for the past few days has been doing so out of adoration for his adorable infant self. He hadn’t realized she also happened to have a crush on Tsuna.

“Oh Tsuna-san of course any little brothers you have would be adorable!” the girl squeals excitedly. “He’s so cute! What’s his name? Why didn’t you tell me you had a little brother?”

“He’s not my brother, Haru,” Tsuna sighs. “I told you that I had some kids staying with me, remember? This is one of them.”

“My name is Reborn. I’m the World’s Greatest Hitman,” Reborn says, appropriately.

Immediately, the girl, Haru, rounds on Tsuna, expression disappointed. “Tsuna-san, I can’t believe you… Corrupting the youth… I thought you were better than that…”

“ _Haru_ …” Tsuna moans and buries his face in his hands.

As though answering a silent prayer, Sasagawa Kyoko and Kurokawa Hana appear from nowhere and latch on to Haru’s arms. “Haru-chan!” Sasagawa exclaims. “It’s been so long!”

“I think we need to catch up,” Kurokawa says. Sasagawa flashes a reassuring smile to Tsuna, and the two girls drag Haru away, blissfully ignoring her protests. Tsuna sighs again, this time in relief. Reborn stares suspiciously in their direction. That appearance was rather _convenient_ of them.

“Who was that, Dame-Tsuna?” he asks.

“Miura Haru,” Tsuna answers. “She goes to an all-girls’ school, but we’re friends. She’s really… weird, but she’s not a bad person; she just loves children a lot and has some weird views about taking care of them.”

“I see,” Reborn hums.

* * *

Bianchi comes and causes her usual brand of love-filled chaos coupled with traumatizing her brother with her mere presence.

A week later, she’s leaving, claiming to have found a very important target and she unfortunately can’t stay. She’s gone before Reborn can address the suspicious excuse.

Tsuna looks oddly pleased by her departure.

* * *

“Um, Reborn,” Dino says, glancing around the streets. “Is it just me, or are all those teenagers kind of creepy?” He’s referring to the Disciplinary Committee members who are staring at him suspiciously. They haven’t approached, but they look ready to act at any moment.

Frankly, Reborn is disappointed in his student for being so cowardly in the face of _teenagers_.

“Ignore them, Baka-Dino,” he tells him.

The next day, Dino seems to have forced himself to relax every time he passes by any Committee members, but he still seems a little on edge. It’s not anything to be worried about though, so Reborn settles for teasing him about his cowardice.

* * *

To be honest, Reborn isn’t surprised when Shamal gets driven out of town. Perverts count as “disrupting the peace”.

It’s a little annoying having to bring the old Namimori Middle School nurse back, though.

* * *

The Bovino brat, Fon’s kiddie assassin, and the Ranking Prince are all delivered to the Sawada household by Hibari and happily taken in by Nana without any questions.

Reborn, though, has a few questions, starting with: _How did he come across the children before Dame-Tsuna did?_

* * *

 **_Owl 1_ ** _has logged into chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **_Owl 1_ ** _has sent (2) image(s)_

_ [Edited images of a person saying, “Okay, was anybody going to tell me that [Sawada is Vongola Decimo] or was I just supposed to read that in [his ward’s ranking book] myself?”] _

**Carnivore:** For kidnapping a Namimori citizen, I’ll bite you to death

 **Owl 1:** I don’t think he counts as a Namimori citizen just yet, Kyoya

 **Carnivore:** Never call me by my first name

 **Porcupine:** _you_ took fuuta????

 **Porcupine:** mom’s gonna kill you

 **Owl 1:** Yes, yes, I will bring him back immediately

 **Owl 1:** See you soon, Sawada

 **_Owl 1_ ** _has logged out of chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **Carnivore:** Coward

 **Porcupine:** like you’d do any better

* * *

Reborn is unashamed to admit that he’s a little ticked at Timoteo when he asks Reborn to get Tsuna to apprehend Rokudo Mukuro. He hasn’t had nearly enough time to train him to battle an escaped convict, not to mention Rokudo Mukuro has companions. Most of his Guardians are civilians, and while Hibari and the older Sasagawa are proficient at fighting, they aren’t at mafia-levels of fighting. Tsuna is _not ready_.

It turns out that his concern— _concern?_ —is unneeded, because Rokudo Mukuro knocks on the door at nine in the evening with a pleasant smile on his face and Nana’s missing child by his side. Not that he knows that it’s Rokudo Mukuro at first, because his intel said he looked quite different.

“Oh, Mukuro-kun, you found him!” Nana coos as Fuuta hugs her legs. Reborn stiffens at the name. “I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

“My apologies, Mama. I only returned yesterday, actually, and I didn’t realize I had your newest stray until I contacted Tsunayoshi.” Rokudo steps into the household, toeing off his shoes and Reborn keeps a wary hand on Leon. Nana seems unworried as she shuts the door behind him and ushers him into the sitting room.

“Oh, Tsu-kun should have told me you were here,” she sighs. “I would have made you a special dinner. Tsu-kun! Mukuro-kun is back!”

A few seconds, and then Tsuna is running down the stairs. He spots Mukuro and a scowl crosses his face. “Mukuro!” He points an accusing finger at him. “Why did you kidnap Fuuta?” Nana blinks, smile still clueless on her face, and she turns to Rokudo questioningly. Suddenly, he looks a bit more nervous, though his smile doesn’t abate.

“It was an honest mistake, Tsunayoshi-kun,” he drawls, though he sounds a little shaky. “I brought him back though, as promised.” Fuuta runs to Tsuna, who picks him up and hugs him tightly while still glaring at Rokudo.

“Mukuro-kun,” Nana says cheerily, “can I talk to you in the yard?” Reborn isn’t familiar with the look in her eyes, and he’s a little glad for it.

“I—uh, yes, Mama,” Rokudo stammers and Nana leads him somewhere else in the house.

Reborn debates following them, but chooses to instead interrogate Tsuna while the other two are gone. “Dame-Tsuna,” he says, “who is he?”

“A freeloader,” Tsuna answers immediately. Then he chuckles and adds, “But he’s also a friend. He came by a few years ago and Mom couldn’t help but give him and his friends a place to stay. They come and go a lot, but we always keep in touch. We consider him a Namimori citizen now.”

“His full name?”

“Rokudo Mukuro.”

As he feared.

“Dame-Tsuna… are you aware that Rokudo Mukuro is currently an escaped convict having slaughtered two mafia families?” he asks carefully. He doesn’t want to be the one to ruin Tsuna’s view of his friend, but neither does he want to risk him being killed.

“Oh, yeah, we know,” Tsuna answers. Reborn keeps himself from gaping openly. “We’re the ones who house him every time he escapes, but he just can’t stand not antagonizing the mafia.” He rolls his eyes. “Honestly, I wish he’d just stay here. It would be so much easier.”

Reborn breathes in deeply, trying to keep himself calm. Did Iemitsu have _any_ competent spies in this town? Who was the one who somehow managed to miss this? Why is the CEDEF so _useless_?

“I thought you didn’t know anything about the mafia before I came,” he says, struggling not to show his irritation.

“Uh, actually I never said that?” Tsuna’s voice becomes a tad higher as he edges away. “I didn’t know I was a possible heir to Vongola, but I never said I didn’t know anything about the mafia itself…”

Leon takes the shape of Reborn’s trusty gun. He aims it at Tsuna’s head, smiling dangerously at him. “Have you been keeping things from me, Dame-Tsuna?”

“Not by choice!” Tsuna exclaims frantically. “I just, uh, never thought to mention it? I thought you’d pick up on it! It wasn’t like—“

Nana walks back into the room, looking infinitely more cheerful and without Rokudo following her this time. Leon returns to his chameleon form.

“Mukuro-kun had to go back to his friends,” she explains, appearing oblivious to the way Tsuna sags in relief at her arrival. Reborn isn’t sure she’s actually oblivious anymore—not with that look in her eye when she learned Rokudo took Fuuta. “I’m sure he’ll be back tomorrow. We can all have a feast in celebration!” She claps her hands excitedly.

“Uh, Mom, I don’t think Kyoya will agree to that…” Tsuna says tentatively, glancing warily at Reborn.

“He will! It’ll go perfectly, Tsu-kun! Now, let me see Fuuta. Mukuro-kun can be so inconsiderate sometimes.”

Reborn doesn’t have a chance to continue his interrogation as Nana fusses over Fuuta, making sure Rokudo didn’t harm him while he was in his care. He hopes to catch Tsuna alone at night, but the kids barge into his room before he can, and he’s not certain it’s nothing but a coincidence.

* * *

It seems that all of Tsuna’s friends know Rokudo, and it’s only a little bit annoying. One by one, they all pile into the house with their dispersed greetings, ranging from, “Oh hey Mukuro!” to “Ugh, not you.” Mukuro’s companions—Kakimoto Chikusa and Joshima Ken—are greeted with much the same reception, if a bit friendlier even. Surprisingly, the older Sasagawa sibling makes an appearance, while the only girls who come are Miura and one Dokuro Chrome, who hadn’t even been on Reborn’s radar before she knocked on the door.

The dinner itself goes well, which is to say that it’s absolute chaos, and so perfectly fitting of a Vongola dinner. It’s half food fight, half real fighting, and Reborn enjoys seeing Tsuna’s distressed expression as he tries to save his own food before it becomes ammo. Nana, meanwhile, is untouched and unaffected by the chaos surrounding her.

Everything is cut short by the arrival of the Vindice.

Reborn feels them first. He feels their familiar chill seeping into the air, that ominous feeling their very presence brings. Then, slowly, everyone else begins to feel them too, and they all freeze. Kakimoto and Joshima scramble to press their backs to the wall, while Tsuna and Dokuro move to stand in front of Rokudo as the Vindice make their appearance.

“ _Sawada Tsunayoshi_ ,” one of them rasps, “ _hand over Rokudo Mukuro and his companions_.”

“I won’t do that,” Tsuna says defiantly.

Reborn whips his head around to look at him. “ _Tsunayoshi_ ,” he says sharply.

“I won’t allow you to take any of them,” he repeats, not looking at Reborn as he does so. “They’re citizens of Namimori, which means their fates belong to us.”

“Anyone who takes a Namimori citizen against their will shall be bitten to death,” Hibari snarls. The absolute anger in his voice takes Reborn by surprise. Throughout the dinner, he’s felt nothing but antagonism on his end towards Rokudo, and it was mutual on Rokudo’s end as well. If anything, he should have been eager to be rid of him.

“ _That is not your decision to make,_ ” the Vindice says. “ _Give us the boys_.”

“ _No_ ,” Tsuna refuses again, and this time, his eyes flare orange. Subtly, his friends—Yamamoto and Hibari and Dokuro and Miura and Sasagawa and even _Gokudera_ , who isn’t connected to Rokudo in the slightest—make ready stances, perfectly willing to fight on Tsuna’s command.

Distantly, the front door opens. No footsteps are heard, but in the next second comes a feminine voice. “Oh my, are we late?”

In the dining room doorway stands two tall figures, both clearly related to Hibari. His parents, Reborn assumes. Hibari Kazuki and Hibari Asuka. They both have his sharp eyes and dark hair. Hibari Kazuki is clearly where his son’s hairstyle comes from, but Hibari Asuka is the one with his curling smirk.

“What’s going on?” Kazuki asks, eyebrows raised. “Tsunayoshi-kun? Kyoya?”

“Mother, Father,” Hibari says. “These _herbivores_ wish to lock the pineapple herbivore away.”

“ _Rokudo Mukuro has slaughtered two_ Famiglias _and must be brought to justice_ ,” the Vindice says.

“I’m afraid we cannot allow that,” Asuka hums. She and her husband walk towards them and stop on each side of Rokudo. Asuka places a hand on Tsuna’s shoulder while Kazuki places his on Rokudo’s. “Mukuro-kun is one of ours. As a Namimori citizen, he is under our jurisdiction and no mafia outside of our own can pass judgment on him. Not even the Vindice can do so.”

Not even Reborn can hope to read the Vindice, but for a moment, it seems as though a ripple of confusion passes through all of them.

“ _We are the only ones who pass judgment on mafia criminals.”_

“Not in Namimori. We are a crime-free town, Vindice. Sanctuary to all who enter unless we deem them too dangerous to stay. It so happens that Mukuro-kun, Ken-kun, and Chikusa-kun have become natives, and we protect our natives. You have no power here.”

“And even if you did, you wouldn’t be able to take Mukuro-kun,” Kazuki adds. “To take away a Sky’s Element would be to declare war on one of the most protected people in the mafia world. You wouldn’t dare take an already harmonized Mist.” He smiles pleasantly. “Chikusa-kun and Ken-kun are only followers of Mukuro-kun. You cannot take them either when it is Mukuro-kun who is the ringleader, and also Mukuro-kun who cannot be taken in.”

Reborn stiffens. He looks to Tsuna and Rokudo, and suddenly, his actions make more sense. He didn’t think Tsuna had any full Harmonizations, but it’s clear now that he has many. Rokudo hadn’t seemed surprised that Tsuna defended him, and all of the others were absolutely prepared to fight for him too. Those weren’t actions you would often find in anyone who wasn’t already Harmonized.

It’s a valid argument, too. Most of the time, arresting Mafiosi was easy because most Flame users weren’t Harmonized, but to arrest a Harmonized Element meant not only the possible insanity of the Element, but also the rage of their Sky as well as their fellow Harmonized Elements. Even for the Vindice, an angered Sky and their Guardians was a force to be reckoned with.

The Vindice mutter amongst one another. No one else moves or relaxes.

“ _Very well_ ,” the Vindice decide after minutes of contemplation. “ _Taking a Harmonized Element would be… troubling. Be aware, however, that we will be back if Rokudo Mukuro oversteps his boundaries._ ”

“You may very well try.” The smirk on Asuka’s face is, possibly, even more chilling than the Vindice in their entirety. “Ask your superior about Namimori, perhaps. As I said: _you have no power here_.”

The Vindice appear displeased, but neither Hibari parent is affected. They leave with no final warning, and it’s only after they’ve been gone for more than ten seconds that everyone begins to relax.

“Whew, that was scary!” Yamamoto laughs. “Man am I glad you two appeared!” He grins freely at Asuka and Kazuki, who have wiped away their icy composures and instead look much more approachable.

“Thank you for coming when you did, Asuka-chan! Kazuki-kun!” Nana says happily. “I was worried Tsu-kun and the others would have to fight.”

“You planned that, didn’t you?” Tsuna says dryly.

“I am in your debt, Asuka-sama and Kazuki-sama,” Dokuro murmurs, bowing to the two.

And on and on they go, as though what happened was nothing to think about. As though staring down the Vindice and managing to win was _normal_. As though anything Hibari Asuka said about Namimori made any sort of sense.

_Crime-free town. Sanctuary._

_Peaceful Namimori._

Reborn shoots the ground, effectively silencing everyone around him. “Is anyone going to explain to me,” he says, loud and demanding, “what the _hell_ just happened?”

* * *

 **_Genos_ ** _has logged into chatroom **Cleaning Committee**_

 **Genos:** I heard there was a dinner tonight

 **Genos:** How did it go?

 **Buffy:** Oh yeah!! How was it you guys?

 **Oh No!:** I bet it was a disaster lol

 **Porcupine:** ugh i would be happiest if we never talked about that dinner ever again

 **Owl 2:** It went fine

 **Hitmonchan:** it was very EXTREME

 **Combustion Man:** I think I had five heart attacks

 **Lancelot:** kyoya’s parents sure are awesome!!

 **Heather:** it was soooo cool!!!!!

 **Owl 1:** I will not say thank you

 **Genos:** Oh geez

 **Buffy:** What happened?

 **Porcupine:** _well_

* * *

There are things about Namimori that Reborn ignored before. Things like the lack of crime and delinquents, the way some of the students looked at Tsuna with admiration, how not one civilian reacted to the sudden increase in explosions and destructions around town. He saw these things as convenient occurrences, didn’t look any farther because it was useful.

There’s more to Namimori than he originally anticipated.

“When my family built this town,” Asuka begins, “they built it wishing for it to be a safe place for people like them—murderers and assassins and criminals who were tired of it. Namimori became a resting place, but in doing so, they invited chaos. My family took on the responsibility of acting as protectors to the town, keeping people who didn’t belong in the mold out while accepting those who just wanted to rest too. Outside of us, who fought to keep everyone safe, our citizens know when to turn a blind eye to weird happenings.

“Generations later, we maintain our peace against criminals who would dare enter, alongside those we hand select to assist us. Nanako is one of the ones Kazuki and I chose—“ she nods to Nana, who smiles and waves, “and all of the teenagers here are ones who Kyoya chose—save for Mukuro-kun, Chikusa-kun, and Ken-kun. They have chosen to keep tabs on the mafia outside for us. Tsunayoshi-kun, of course, could be considered my son’s co-leader, as a Sky and the only child of my second-in-command, after Kazuki.

“Which brings us to our conflict with you.” Asuka folds her hands over her lap. “We do not allow criminals to invade our town. Not one of us wishes to be involved in the mafia, and Tsunayoshi especially will not become Vongola Decimo. Sawada Iemitsu, unfortunately, has never stayed long enough to know the Rules of our town, and so has made a grievous mistake in offering his son. So, Arcobaleno Reborn-san, what will you do?”

Everyone in the room is tense. Tsuna’s Guardians are wound up, resolve burning in their eyes saying that they would fight him if they have to, even though the odds of them winning are low. Nana has the same look in her eyes that are no longer misty and dull. Not a single one of them is willing to become a criminal or sacrifice Tsuna’s happiness for Vongola.

Reborn wouldn’t care, except that he likes Tsuna.

The boy he has lived with for the past few months is better than the mafia. He’s stubborn and cowardly and annoyingly loud, but he is, in equal amounts, determined and protective and _good_. Reborn doesn’t get to meet many people with the heart that Tsuna has, and he hates to admit that he likes it. Kind people are so rare and he would be _damned_ if he let the mafia destroy Tsuna and the life that keeps him happy.

“There is one living heir to Vongola,” Reborn says slowly. “However, the position of Don Vongola can only be inherited through blood, of which Xanxus is not. That won’t stop him though, and I predict he’ll be coming to Namimori soon to fight for the position.” Another few seconds of tense silence, and he adds, “I don’t think Tsuna would do well in the mafia either, but I see no other alternative. Until we figure out what to do about Xanxus, he is the only heir Timoteo will accept.”

Hibari breaks a window.

* * *

“If this Xanxus guy is going to fight us for the rings, we should at least train enough that we won’t die fighting him and his Guardians,” Tsuna decides. Reborn wholeheartedly agrees.

He’s introduced to Irie Shouichi, who builds impressive weaponry and offers his assistance in upgrading any weapons the Guardians may use. A few others close to Tsuna—Kusakabe and Kurokawa and the younger Sasagawa—also join in on their training. Now that Reborn is in on Namimori’s “secret”, they’re a lot more amenable to his presence.

When Basil and Dino arrive with the Vongola Rings, the kids only act surprised.

He’s so proud.

* * *

 **Porcupine:** i feel like we’re in the middle of a training montage

 **Hitmonchan:** we kind of are

 **Hitmonchan:** TO THE EXTREME

* * *

Tsuna and his friends are impeccable actors, which is a good thing when Reborn sees the way Tsuna wants to strangle his father the longer he sticks around. Considering how violent his friends are, if it weren’t for them wanting to put on a show for the outsiders in town, Iemitsu would likely have been dead before the day’s end.

When the Ring Battles officially begin, Tsuna pulls Reborn away as Ryohei begins to fight Lussuria. “That guy, over there—that’s Xanxus?” he whispers so as not to be heard by his father.

“He is,” Reborn confirms.

Tsuna smiles. “I need to show you something.”

* * *

Reborn never reported on Tsuna’s Lightning and Mist Guardians because the kids wanted to mess with Iemitsu and whoever else would be presiding over the battles. He agreed to keep quiet because he thought it would be funny. Both Mists and Haru have been hidden in Mist Flames ever since everyone entered the school.

When Iemitsu begins to usher Lambo towards the ring for the start of the Lightning Battle, it’s not funny anymore.

Tsuna’s eyes widen and he quickly snatches Lambo away from Iemitsu. Hayato and Takeshi stand in between them, glaring.

“Lambo, can you give me the ring?” Tsuna asks quietly, balancing Lambo in one arm to hold out his other hand.

“But Dame-Tsuna, I can do this!” Lambo argues.

“Do you want to?” Tsuna jerks his head towards Leviathan. Lambo looks up at him, shudders, and shakes his head, making some sort of excuse as he hands off the Lightning Ring to Tsuna. Tsuna smiles and kisses his forehead, then turns to where Haru is hiding. “Haru!”

The illusion hiding her breaks and she tackles Tsuna and Lambo in a tight hug, rubbing her cheek over Lambo’s hair. “Oohh, how _dare_ your stupid dad try to make a child fight!” she huffs and snatches the ring from Tsuna’s hand. “Cheer me on, okay, Tsuna-san?” She grins, presses a kiss to Tsuna’s cheek, and happily heads into the circuit.

“A little girl?” Leviathan scoffs. “I was hoping for a challenge.”

Haru’s eyes flash and her grin turns a little sharper.

Needless to say, she has a lot of fun beating him, and Reborn has a lot of fun watching.

* * *

In the end, Xanxus wins. Not through a lack of effort on Tsuna’s part, but the Varia have much more experience than a couple of fourteen year olds do, no matter how skilled they are and how they’ve trained since even before Reborn came along.

Also, Tsuna didn’t want to win anyway.

They all watch with bated breath as Xanxus puts on the Sky Ring. In light of what Tsuna revealed to him earlier that day, Reborn is only a little less tense about it than he was before. Iemitsu watches on with a despaired look that’s ruined by the smugness in his eyes, only for it to change to shock as the rings don’t reject Xanxus.

Immediately, Tsuna and his Guardians begin to cheer.

“I knew it!” Tsuna whoops.

“It seems you were right, Dame-Tsuna,” Reborn says, smirking.

“How can this—?” Iemitsu stammers. “He’s not Vongola blood!”

“Wrong, herbivore,” Hibari says and produces the file that Tsuna showed Reborn hours before. “The porcupine noticed a similarity between Vongola Secondo and that feathered herbivore and had my people run a quick background check. Xanxus di Vongola is a lost descendant of Ricardo di Vongola—on his _mother’s_ side.”

“I’m Decimo…” Xanxus says, sounding stunned. “I’m actually Decimo!” He grins, blood still on his teeth. “ _Fuck_ you Nono! And fuck every shitty trash that thought I couldn’t do it!”

“How did you know? There’s no way you could have known!” Iemitsu says, baffled.

“I’ve always known about the mafia, _Dad_ ,” Tsuna responds, rolling his eyes. “Now that the battles are over, can all of you _get out of our town_?”

* * *

 **Porcupine:** if vongola never returns to namimori it’ll be too soon

 **Owl 2:** Agreed

 **Hitmonchan:** i EXTREMELY agree

 **Lancelot:** god ur so right tsuna

 **Combustion Man:** I would prefer them gone too

 **Carnivore:** Interlopers will be bitten to death

 **Heather:** but wait i still wanna kill your dad tsuna-san

 **Genos:** Honestly he’ll probably be back

 **Porcupine:** ^

 **Owl 1:** Idiots generally don’t know when to leave well enough alone

 **Heather:** yesssss

* * *

Even when all of Vongola leaves and are banned from ever returning, Reborn stays.

“I think Namimori considers you one of us now,” Nana giggles.

Tsuna nods. “Yeah, you’re pretty much a citizen now. Everyone knows you, you know?”

And, well. What else can he do but accept?

* * *

(Reborn handed the file back to Tsuna, processing the information. “How did you know what Vongola Secondo looked like?” he asked)

* * *

400 years in the past, Giotto di Vongola and his companions are stopped in place by two dark-haired, sharp-eyed men. “State your business,” one of the men says.

“My friends and I heard that this town is a place of resting for… former criminals,” Giotto answers. “We were hoping we could gain sanctuary here.”

The men look at each other, and then to the group. “Follow us. We’ll take you to Hibari-sama.”

**Author's Note:**

> That ending? Was not planned. Nothing past the first, like, 1000 words was planned actually. I have no clue what happened.  
> Why do they know Chrome? Mukuro. Mukuro found her, pretty much kidnapped her, and the rest is history. I couldn't figure out how to fit that in to the actual story but there you go. I also meant to add more 8059 but I..... couldn't figure that out either. OTL So many things I wanted to put in. So little time.  
> EDIT: I'm pretty sure I wrote this fic while not actually reading what I was writing so expect edits to be made semi-often for the next few days because I'm incapable of just not posting stuff before I've looked over them
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> (And I have a [writing blog](https://heavenly-dusk.tumblr.com/) if you'd like to see me talk about fic ideas and post drabbles!)


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